Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition

Essentially a tribute to the original SLR racecar from 1955, today's Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is an expensive supercar that boasts a top speed in excess of 200 mph and sprints from zero to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds. In terms of driving dynamics, the car's only drawbacks are excessive road noise and grabby brakes.

Otherwise, it's truly a phenomenal car but unless you're a CEO or media mogul, it's unlikely to show up on your shopping list, as it costs nearly half a million dollars. It's equally unlikely that you'll ever even see one, as fewer than 1,000 copies have been sold since the car's introduction for 2005.

In a nod to the original 300 SLRs, the SLR McLaren features doors that swing forward and up in a sort of gullwing-scissor combination. It may be largely a gimmick but it does make getting in and out much easier than in other high-dollar supercars. While the interior includes many tasteful features like aluminum and carbon fiber trim with leather seats, it looks too much like a standard-issue Mercedes sedan. For such an exclusive car, we'd like to see a more unique cabin.

The bottom line is that the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is very fast and very expensive. Even if you're able to find a used SLR for sale, the car is still extremely expensive. Also, enthusiasts wanting a manual transmission will find that no such option exists for the SLR McLaren. Given the lack of a manual transmission and the SLR's ultra exclusivity, we recommend looking instead for one of the brilliant supercars from Aston Martin, Ferrari or Lamborghini.